I agree that policy would most likely backfire since people misdiagnose the problem all the time. High rents are a function of the market not being free as the piece mentions (zoning, permits & overhead, resistance from homeowners and public input), while many come away with simple impressions that the issue is the greed of builders - i.e. too much market involvement. I don't trust the public to understand 2nd and 3rd order effects well enough to evaluate solutions, though the rise of YIMBYism among the public and state apparatus is an encouraging sign. Cities have plenty of ways to thwart change unfortunately.